Cobbett and Dickens

William Cobbet was born in 1763, he was in the army for 7 years between 1784 - 1791, but he was forced to flee to America after exploiting military corruption. It was there in America, where he began his career as a Journalist. His most famous work "Rural Rides" contains his travel writing which paints a vivid image of his journeys; all of which are very detailed and descriptive. During his Winchester accounts, he describes the place as one of England's finest spots, "Here are hill, dell, water, meadows, woods, corn-fields, downs: and all of them very fine and very beautifully disposed.". Cobbett was elected to Parliament in 1832 but sadly died in 1835. 

Cobbett was an anti-radical who became a radical because he thought that rapid industrialisation was going to destroy traditional ways of life. He was convinced that farmers faced ruin. Cobbett describes the farm workers as "walking skeletons" as he was shocked by the state of the countryside when he returned from the army.

Cobbett was nearly 60 when he began to write Rural Rides, he wrote this piece as a social reformer and a farmer. This is the book he is most famous for. He rode on horseback around Southeast England and the English Midlands making observations of what was happening in the towns. He was unhappy with the decisions that were made by Parliament as he felt they were focusing on the industrialisation of Britain without seeing the effects it was having on rural life.

Cobbett was against the Corn Laws which put tax on imported grain; he saw this as unfair to poor workers. The public campaigned for Parliamentary reform, and Cobbett supported this, and therefore had to serve 2 years in jail. The government were afraid that more riots would break out so they introduced the Reform Act in 1832.

He also wrote the  Political Register which was a weekly newspaper with a middle class readership. It later turned in to a Pamphlet after tax was placed on newspapers. Critics named it "Two Penny Trash". He had no time for the government that taxed the farmers.

Dickens 
London was the largest City population wise, it is the capital of the most advanced country economically, politically and industrially. Between 1800 - 1850 the population had doubled causing tremendous poverty and a fall in infrastructure and sanitation.

Dickens worked as a parliamentary reporter but he was disappointed with Parliament as he believed the poor were entitled to decent homes and education too.  He claimed the state only involved themselves if it criminalised or imprisoned them.